It's Been A Year Since I Returned from My "Would-Be Eternal Saxophone Hiatus"

Last October I quit my job as a breakfast cook in a resort hotel.

My job as a breakfast cook in a resort hotel was menial. And somewhat self-degrading, though I did get to wear a costume (however, I couldn't wear earrings which I felt was oppressive--am I a liberal tool for thinking that?).

So I had this job where I worked from 6 A.M. to 2 P.M. five days a week. It was alright, but since I was the new guy, they delegated every tedious and/or prolonged task to me: separating eggs, picking parsley leaves, picking basil leaves, etc. for hours on end.

So I had menial, repetitive tasks going on, and I also had infinite coffee (the Barista station was adjacent the breakfast line). Put the two together, and I'd get in a meditative state. And, in that meditative state I began to hear a good ol' ii-V-I in my head.

Long story short, I borrowed a saxophone, took it into the subway, played whatever I could before my chops would give out, clean out the horn, count my money and bounce.

People were really grateful that I was making music for them.

I was like, "I could play music for people like this everyday and enhance their experience of life in a beautiful way." I started doing it all the time.

After a heartfelt conversation with my former boss in a walk-in refrigerator designated for produce, I realized that if I'm in New York City, I need to do whatever is the greatest service to Humankind possible.

Now I'm not saying I won't if, either I absolutely must or I find something super awesome, but I haven't gone back to work since.